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The Upcoming Donna: Liliana
The Upcoming Donna: Liliana
The Upcoming Donna: Liliana
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The Upcoming Donna: Liliana

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"I shifted as I sat up, feeling the soft–white silk covers under me slide against my skin. My eyes opened to the glaring sun and my hand grasped the butt of my gun under my pillow. Something woke me from my slumber; a sound in the room I did not expect, but a glance around told me nothing was there."

Italy, 2020. Liliana Accardi, an Heiress to the Accardi Family Mafia, is sent by her grandfather to investigate the Romano Family. She is dangerous, strong, and intelligent, covered in tattoos, and ready to lead her family to a better, brighter future when she takes over after her grandfather passes.

 

Then she meets him. The Boss of the Romano family, Nicolo Romano. And he surpasses her expectations while being everything she looks for in a man. Can she find love and passion in his arms? Or will she have to end his line? Nicolo Romano isn't known for kindness, yet he seems to favor Lili Orlando, the maid from the Accardi family. Her seriousness, cool rejection of him, and unflinching gaze has him begging for more. Yet he is suspicious of the reason she is here. The Accardi family is not well known by other Mafia, but the elders of his family recommend caution around her. Will he find out the reason she is there before anything bad happens? And can he seduce her to his bed before she disappears?

LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 20, 2023
ISBN9798223846987
The Upcoming Donna: Liliana

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    The Upcoming Donna - Kelly Brackett

    Any resemblance to actual entities is coincidental. © KellyBrackettAuthor and Kelly Brackett. Please leave a review of your thoughts wherever you purchased the book.

    Contents

    Prologue

    Using Caution

    A Wicked Smile

    Target Acquired

    The Dark Side

    The Evidence

    Almost Again

    More Evidence

    Proving Truths

    Who Cares?

    As If

    Face Facts

    Truths

    The Accardi

    What’s Next?

    Goodbye, Old Friend

    Fighting Me

    Independent

    Dangers

    No Teasing

    Working Together

    Numbness

    Rendezvous?

    Him

    Desirous Tendencies

    The Briefcase

    Punishment for Marcello

    The Brothers

    Money & Motivation

    On Arrival

    Sent to the Depths

    Questioning the Donna

    To Be Free

    So Angry

    Ginyvra

    Prologue

    Ishifted as I sat up, feeling the soft–white silk covers under me slide against my skin. My eyes opened to the glaring sun and my hand grasped the butt of my gun under my pillow. Something woke me from my slumber; a sound in the room I did not expect, but a glance around told me nothing was there. This did not ease my tension, and I shifted again, the blankets falling away to reveal tattooed, tanned, naked flesh.

    With my free hand, I pinned my brown hair back and pointed the magnum around the room again with narrowed eyes. Every nerve ending in my body sensed someone in the room that did not get my permission to enter. The atmosphere was tense as every nerve stood on end. Right as a familiar man rose to a stand in front of me from the edge of the bed, hands in the air, I raised my gun right at his face with a snarl.

    How many times have I told you to knock before you enter my room, Marcello? I asked with a raised brow, not even flinching when his eyes roamed my naked body. Do you have a death wish?

    The Don has a job for you, Marcello replied while raising his hands in pacification. And as much as I enjoy the view, wearing clothes to sleep is what normal people do.

    I’m the future Donna of the Accardi Family. Normal does not qualify for me. I countered with a shrug and stood to walk over to my wardrobe. Next time, do not enter my room without permission, or I will shoot you.

    Marcello visibly shivered before nodding his head, a fearful expression on his face. And that fearfulness made sense. I was next in line to run one of the most powerful families in the world, and one of the strongest members of my family, despite my size. That is right, the future Donna of the Accardi Family is smaller than the smallest man. I could still hold my own in a fight.

    At five foot and ninety–four pounds, I barely came to the shoulder of the smallest guy in my family. It was thanks to that I was the most successful of all the family’s informants. That and my mother’s family’s techniques that my grandfather carried great hatred for. It was one of the few ways I could help my ailing grandfather. My job as the future Donna. A job I took seriously.

    I pulled on blue jeans and a navy turtleneck before turning to face Marcello again. I often found myself with a lot of suitors, but they were only after the position of Don they would get from marrying me. Not to be with me as a person. Though I knew it was pointless to wish for love, especially with my position in this world. As a princess, I would likely have a groom selected for me by my grandfather, so I gave up on love.

    My duty to my family was far more important. I followed Marcello out into the lavishly decorated hallway down to my grandfather’s office in silence. Whatever the job, I would solve it and be back in no time, with a confident nod and surety in my steps. I had enough experience in the field to ensure success in any job. We paused at the door before Marcello glanced at me as he lifted his hand to knock.

    Entra. ‘Enter.’ The raspy but firm voice on the other side said, sounding weak in her ears. Mia Cara Lili, ti trovo bellissima oggi! ‘My Dear Lili, I find you beautiful today!’

    I translated automatically, having grown up speaking both English and Italian. My grandfather served as the Don of the Accardi Family for the past twenty years, but he did not pressure me to become the Donna despite his failing health. He actually seemed hesitant to let me fully become a member of the family, despite it being my reason for existing. Even though I have the highest success rates on all my missions. I stared into my grandfather’s eyes with concern as a fit of coughs left him.

    Since mother disappeared, my grandfather had been getting sicker and sicker, no matter how often they called for the doctor. As much as he did not want me involved, he had to prepare me for the eventuality of his death. And I knew it. It was my request that the Accardi even continued to be the powerhouse it was. I stepped forward before bowing at the waist, my hand fisting over my chest in the family’s salute. Whatever he needed, I would do.

    Lili, there is a family I want you to infiltrate. Not as a princess, but as a maid. He said, raising a blood–soaked tissue to his mouth. The Don there cannot know who you are. Do you think you can pull this off?

    Of course I can, grandfather. I have mother’s techniques if all else fails. My grandfather sighed after I replied. I know you’re not a fan, but they work well.

    Mother’s techniques. The women of my mother’s family used seduction to gain information from people. Even at twenty–three, I had a higher success rate than anyone in the family, only thanks to my family’s secret techniques. My grandfather did not know the full details of the reason it had such a high success rate, but it was thanks to them I was confident in my abilities. There was no job too small or big for me to take on.

    I ran my fingers through my short brown hair before glancing at Marcello, who took an interest in the floor. It was the reason most of the men in the family did not mess with me. I could be dangerous to their futures as members of the family. I needed to focus on the details if I wanted to be successful on this next mission. Who knew what the family I would investigate would hide?

    DON ROMANO, I’M BRINGING in a few new girls as maids. Allow me to introduce them. The Head Servant said with a nod towards the gaggle of girls giggling in his presence. Though all but one has never worked for a family before.

    Oh? This piqued his interest, especially because he had his eyes on one girl who remained silent near the door. What family did she work for?

    Accardi. The older man replied, motioning towards the doe–eyed woman who stepped forward with a graceful bow. This is Lili Orlando. A maid from the Accardi house.

    The top of her head stopped at his shoulder, but when he stepped forward to examine her closer, she did not flinch. Instead, Lili met his gaze head–on, almost daring him to say something. What she expected, he did not know, but he knew he could feel his body responding to the lilac scent of her filling his nose. A few years passed since he last spent time in the company of a woman, so perhaps she could entertain him for a while.

    It helped that he could tell she was not older than him. At twenty–eight, and a Don, he could not find time to date, and if he did, the woman would have to meet his family’s standards for a Donna. But that did not mean he could not have fun. She was tiny, too, and he wondered where she stored her bravery to look someone so much larger than her straight in the eyes.

    Perhaps it was her self-awareness as a woman that made her appealing. Or perhaps it was the discreet tattoo he glimpsed beneath her beautiful brown hair at her nape. He did not really know, but one thing he was sure of was he wanted her. In his bed. For a few hours at least. Lili cleared her throat, drawing his gaze down to her lips before her sexy, full lips parted to speak. The smoothness of her voice startled him from his thoughts and, for the first time in his life, he felt weak in the knees.

    My former mistress told me a lot about you. She said, her brown eyes narrowing gently as she spoke, making him feel at ease immediately. You are just as handsome as she said. I am Lili Orlando, a former maid of Liliana Accardi. They assigned me to her because of our names.

    Then you will service me as my personal maid. Nicolo replied, making everyone gasp in shock at his on–the–spot decision. You’ve already served a princess, so serving your Don should not be much more difficult.

    He knew this would cause her trouble, but something was telling him she was not as she seemed. A smile lifted the corners of her lips, making him notice a dimple form in her left cheek, before she nodded her understanding and bowed. Perhaps he should think this through a little more, but the closer she was, the easier she would be to seduce.

    He never expected one of his maids to be exactly his type. Testing her strength under the power of everyone’s jealousy would be necessary if she became Donna. The thought came from nowhere and he shook the silly idea from his head. Even if she performed well, this was a ‘just for fun’ kind of relationship. Just until she was under him long enough to be satisfied.

    Boss, are you sure about this? Piero, his underboss, asked with concern. Putting such a scrawny maid at your service could put you at risk.

    Hm. Do not question me. The Don said, stepping forward to invade her personal space. She does not work for the Accardi any longer. She should learn her place here.

    Using Caution

    Iwould have to be more careful to not draw attention to myself, yet my fearlessness garnered me the attention of the Don. I reorganized the files atop his desk, carefully placing a bug under the corner of it where his legs would rest. This was technically all I needed to accomplish, but I expected it to take months to reach this point. Not days. I was careful to make it look like I was merely working as the man in question sat discussing business with his Consigliere Angelo. Though I was not to know his name as a maid, so I feigned innocence and ignorance.

    Are you sure he should go on a ride, Boss? Piero asked, making the Don lean forward in his seat, his head resting on his fist. It does not sound like you.

    He is a stool pigeon. Angelo replied, glancing at me as I worked to dust the bookshelves. And a piece of work. Best not to speak of it in front of Legits.

    My title was Princess, yet here, they treated me as a maid. I still understood what they were saying, despite the older terminology. Perhaps they were testing me, but I continued cleaning as though I did not hear them. A benefit to my training was that I did not have to worry about being seen through. Whatever part I needed to play; I could play professionally. They wouldn’t catch me slipping up, not this early in.

    I moved to the next shelf without a care in the world and heard Nicolo shift behind me. He was the exception. Perhaps he had a keen eye for spies, but he seemed to notice any change in my demeanor. His scent drifted up to my nose, his expensive cologne making my stomach tense with desire. I shifted away from him as I sprayed the disinfectant on his desk to wipe down the top. There was a need to avoid being alone with him as much as possible!

    I do not know your purpose here, but I will find out. He mumbled, his deep voice sending gooseflesh down my spine. And I will see where that tattoo ends, Lili Orlando.

    I swallowed past the lump in my throat and took a deep breath, forcing my now fiery blood to cool. How did he get under my skin? I thought back to that first night I came here a week ago. The way he looked at me had my throat closing yet again, and the fires of passion boiled. Every nerve stood on end as the tip of his finger stroked against the base of my neck, before his presence disappeared completely, and a heavy, hot sigh parted my lips.

    The Legit used to work for the Accardi family as the Young Mistress’s maid. I’m sure she’s heard plenty about our world at her former job. Then his emerald eyes narrowed suspiciously, a gaze I could feel on my spine. Why were you permitted to come here if you were so good at your job?

    Don Romano, I started, turning before bowing in his direction. Her grandfather wished to determine if you were a good match for her before he presented her hand.

    And you are to determine this?

    That was our cover story, yet I wanted to tell him the truth. There was an earnestness in those green eyes I wanted to believe in, but if he were leaking information to the outside world, then he would become a target. My family were those selected to protect the underworld. There were things the normal people could not know about, and the Omertà had to be upheld. I gave a vague smile, hiding my eyes behind my bangs. I am a professional. There was a job I had to do here.

    If my boss so deems it, yes, was my reply with a bow. Excuse me, my Don. I must prepare your meal.

    It was the perfect excuse, as a knock just landed on the door, showing lunch arrived. I opened the door with a smile; accepting the cart from an innocent–looking maid. I knew how this world worked, how to avoid topics without drawing suspicion, and redirect towards something less dangerous for me. It could be fun to change the subject and confuse someone. Nicolo grumbled, then took his seat at his desk.

    The cart held enough lunch for all three men, but the flash of something in the maid’s hand caught my attention, making my eyes narrow suspiciously. Without another thought, I fumbled with the cart, knocking it and all the contents to the floor. As the soup and meat soaked in the flavors of the carpet, I threw a towel onto the mess, playing up my duties to make sure everything was right. My audience looked less than pleased, but I quickly dabbed at the carpet, forcing tears to my eyes.

    Ah, I’m so sorry! My Don, it was an accident. I bowed repeatedly, smacking myself in the head with my hand once for effect. I will go with the maid to prepare you another.

    Nicolo’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded without even trying to hide his suspicion. As soon as I was certain we were out of earshot, I reached out, jerking the maid behind the column nearby, slamming her hard into the wall. Her eyes widened in shock before she struggled, her flimsy flailing not comparing to my grip on her collar. When she found herself unable to move, her shock turned fast to anger, but I did not hesitate to search through her clothes to find the hidden vial.

    No one would kill him but me if it came to that, I decided, finding her hiding spot in the girl’s pocket. When I held it up to show her, the fight left her, and her arms hung loosely to her sides. Of course, there would be regrets, especially if someone caught another red–handed, but to turn so completely on your boss? What did a maid hope to gain by something like that? As much as I wanted to let it go, something like this couldn’t slide. She would have to go to the Accardi house for her punishment for interrupting my job.

    Mind explaining this? I questioned with narrowed eyes, shoving the vial closer. Or should I turn you in?

    AH! D–don’t d–do that... The Don is not above marking someone! was the maid’s counter, a horrified look in her baby blue orbs. One superior ordered it! I–I don’t know which one, but they want the D–Don out of the way!

    You picked a horrible day to do this. Is that all you know? I demanded, watching as the girl nodded yes, then released her. Go to the Head Servant and tell them you quit. If I ever see you here again, I’ll take care of you myself. Step outside and wait. A car will pick you up.

    Superiors often hold an air of authority, eh, Lili? I startled a centimeter, before calmly looking over my shoulder to lock eyes with Nicolo, then feigned innocence.

    My Don? Whatever are you talking about? I countered with a shrug. I merely gave her a little touch.

    Anyone with eyes could tell. It was in the way Nicolo licked his lips. The way his fingers clenched together to make a fist. The way he swallowed. I had to stop myself from reaching out to run my fingers through his hair. Nicolo was every single bit of my type, so his response to me had me wanting more. His body on mine more. Skin to skin, more. I swallowed thickly, my eyes focusing hard on those full lips, down the handsome chin to his muscular neck, arms, and chest.

    How would it feel to touch the muscles that rested under his clothes? I wondered, as the rest of the world fell away under his gaze. Those deep, green eyes I could almost feel like a caress over my slight curves, and I licked my lips, drawing his gaze to them. It felt as though they were treading a thin line, and the notion made me hyperaware of the position of his lips as they parted, and the heavy sound of his lustful sigh.

    His scent was intoxicating, and the expensive cologne mixed with his natural musk well. I desperately wanted to lean ever closer, despite all the warning signals going off in my brain. I let out a deep sigh, backing away from what I assumed was the scent of the devil with a will I was unaware I had. Was this man made to drive me senseless? If only my job here was as simple as walking through the Villa. I couldn’t let myself get caught up in him.

    Your meeting will delay more if I linger, my Don. Let me return this cart and check on the other maid. Even I felt shocked by how even my voice was, despite how heated I felt. I would hate to fail you so soon into my job as your personal maid.

    NICOLO WAS AWARE OF the dangerous allure she possessed as he watched her push the cart towards the kitchen. Her strawberry-scented shampoo filled his senses, clogging his mind as the click of her steps left him behind. For a single moment, he could see the woman under her facade, the one that begged to be desired, but she snapped back quickly, shattering his expectations. He wanted her to come to him. To beg him for pleasure he knew he could give her. Nicolo tucked his hand into his pockets as he watched her.

    He did not overhear the conversation the ladies had, but saw Lili touching the other woman. His imagination ran wild. Just the idea of her accepting his pleasure while he watched had him tensing. The insinuating comment she made afterwards only made his pants tighten further, and he glared at her spine. Nicolo hoped for one day where he might affect her the way she did him. He wanted to see her squirm.

    Lili. He called, watching as she paused a few feet away. I meant what I said earlier. I will find out what your clothing hides.

    HIS WORDS AFFECTED me so much. I did not know how I made it to the kitchen, but I was soon leaning against the door between me and the hallway, hand over my heart. I knew my way around a man, as it often came up as part of gathering information, but no one had ever made my heart race like he did. It was thudding hard against my chest, and my face flushed. Who was he? What did he do to me? I remembered how close his body was, and my teeth sank into my bottom lip. Stella took one look at me before releasing a loud laugh, her eyes watering.

    Appasionato! ‘Passionate!’ she yelled, throwing up her hands. Diventano tutti a appasionato! ‘They all become passionate!’

    My mind supplied and I rolled my eyes, but knew there was some truth to the old wives’ tales. Especially the ones about hot–blooded men. Yet I had my doubts. I’ve met plenty American men. Were Italians that different? Nicolo seemed to be. Why had I prevented his death? It would save me a lot of trouble if he ended up being guilty. In fact, it would take his line out of the equation, indirectly solving the problem. Usually, I did not fear someone getting a comeuppance, yet the thought of anyone harming him made my stomach churn.

    I bit my lip as the head cook re–prepared the meal before re–plating the meal, then turned back to the office. When I listen to the recordings later, perhaps I would find what I needed and leave this place for good. He made me feel things I didn’t understand, and I didn’t like it. The wheels on the cart squeaked as though to draw my attention, and I stopped in front of the door to

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